1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sport boot having an upper and a shell base journalled to one another about journal axles, and whose shell base is reinforced by at least one reinforcement element of its wall. The invention also relates to the limitation of pivoting of the upper on its journal axles with respect to the reinforced shell base, as well as to the transmission of the forces of the upper on the shell base when it is within the pivoting limit.
2. Background and Material Information
Known sport boots, such as the ski boots described in the documents DE 19 21 907, CH 507 673, and CH 456 393, have reinforcement elements inserted in the wall of the shell base that are adapted to protect the flasks thereof, and some of which are adapted to provide it with further stiffness in predetermined areas. In these boots, the reinforcement elements have no influence either in the transmission of the forces or supports applied on the upper, or on the pivoting possibilities of the latter with respect to the shell base.
Other known sport boots, such as those described in the documents FR 2 063 555, EP 630 591, and EP 645 101, have an upper and a shell base, provided with a sole, which are connected and journalled to one another about journal axles in the zone corresponding to the joint of the wearer's ankle where they are joined by an at least partial overlapping on one another, via the lower edge of the upper and a collar of the shell base. Reinforcement elements are inserted in the wall of the shell base and of the upper, and are adapted, in addition to stiffening these portions of the boot, to transmit the supports or forces of the upper toward the shell base by means of the journal axles these portions. Indeed, these reinforcement elements arranged on the upper and the shell base are connected to one another solely by means of journal axles. Because of this, the forces or supports applied on the boot upper by the wearer in the transverse direction thereof, or vertically, are transmitted with relatively no power loss on the flanks of the boot toward the sole. These reinforcement elements make it possible to reach an optimum flexibility-rigidity compromise for the boot by positioning flexible portions in the location of the adjustment zones and rigid portions in the location of the zones for transmitting the impulses and supports of the wearer. However, they are inoperative in limiting the possible pivoting of the upper with respect to the shell base about its journal axles, and are therefore also inoperative in transmitting a force in the direction of the forward or rearward pivoting of the upper.